Chips&Media WAVE Video Codec & NPU IP

Chips&Media is a South Korean multimedia semiconductor IP provider established in 2003, headquartered in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, with an R&D centre in Daegu, and listed on KOSDAQ since 2015. It licenses hardware video codec and image processing IP so SoC makers can add efficient video encoding and decoding without designing these blocks themselves; licensees passed 1 billion multimedia IP shipments in 2021.

The WAVE6 family offers dual-core and single-core codec, encoder and decoder IP supporting AV1, HEVC, AVC and VP9, from cost-effective 4K60 cores to high-performance cores reaching 4K240fps or 8K60fps at 1 GHz, with frame buffer compression, multi-instance operation and AMBA interfaces. The portfolio also includes WAVE5, JPEG and CODA codecs, standalone frame buffer compression IP and a specialised video and image processing NPU IP, targeting data centres, surveillance cameras, automotive, drones, mobile and wearables.

• WAVE6 high-performance: dual-core AV1, HEVC, AVC and VP9 IP at up to 8K60fps at 1 GHz.
• WAVE6 multi-purpose: single-core codecs at 4K60fps at 500 MHz for automotive, drones and mobile.
• Cost-effective cores: compact HEVC, AVC and AV1 encoders for IoT, IP cameras and wearables.
• Frame buffer compression: lossless CFrame compression, also offered as standalone IP.
• NPU IP: specialised neural processing IP for video and image processing.
• Functional safety: WAVE6331X FuSa certified to ISO 26262 ASIL-B.

A Vietnamese chip design company developing a surveillance camera SoC can license a cost-effective WAVE6 encoder with frame buffer compression. An automotive electronics supplier can use the ASIL-B certified codec for driver monitoring or surround-view cameras. A drone or body camera maker can integrate 4K codec IP into a custom chip.

SoC teams get silicon-proven codec IP with a long production record, reducing design risk and time to market. Dual-core WAVE6 models reach 4K240fps or 8K60fps at 1 GHz, while cost-effective cores serve IoT and camera chips. Built-in frame buffer compression reduces external memory bandwidth. An ISO 26262 ASIL-B certified variant supports automotive projects.

Video traffic, smart cameras and in-vehicle vision systems keep raising demand for efficient codecs such as AV1, while edge AI needs NPUs tuned for imaging. Most chipmakers license codec IP rather than build it. Vietnam's camera, IoT and automotive electronics makers and its emerging chip design firms are potential licensees for SoCs targeting these markets.

Established in 2003; listed on KONEX in 2013 and KOSDAQ in 2015. Headquartered at SEMA Tower, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, with an R&D centre in Daegu. Licensees reached 1 billion multimedia IP shipments in 2021. Long-time partners include Freescale (now NXP). Signed an APV codec licensing deal with a North American technology company in July 2026.